A new step by the Obama Administration toward limiting heat-trapping emissions from airplanes could get a lift from cutting-edge technologies such as non-stick coatings that stop bug guts from clinging to jet wings.

Biofuels, lighter engines, aerodynamic designs, 3D printing of aircraft parts, and, yes, even bug-proof coatings could boost fuel efficiency, which in turn reduces pollutants.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday found that aircraft’s greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to human health by contributing to global warming. This “endangerment” finding allows the agency to develop a proposal to limit emissions from planes as it has done with cars, trucks and power plants. Such a standard would likely take more than a year to finalize.

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